Winwyn Marquez: Pageantry’s Game Changer

Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez does not mince words: “Eyes on one path, one purpose.” And believe me, this woman means every word. And she shows it through her consistent actions too. Right from the moment she announced her candidacy during an official media launch last February 8, 2025 (for this year’s Miss Universe Philippines competition) up to the present — she’s been serving truly outstanding performances! To date, Winwyn is one of the top ten finalists for the Miss Hello Glow 2025; she’s also one of the top 8 Miss Aqua Boracay special award winners; Winwyn is also one of the top three Eventique Special award winners; Winwyn was also awarded as one of Northern Samar’s Ambassadress; and lastly, she consistently ranks amongst the top 5 favourites and hot picks to be crowned this year’s Miss Universe Philippines.

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Winwyn was a vision in a red strapless gown as she officially launched her candidacy for Miss Universe Philippines. She regaled everyone with a brief pasarela and answered questions like a true beauty queen. During the Press Presentation of the 69 candidates (now only 66) at the Rizal Ballroom of Shangri La Makati last February 15, Winwyn easily stood out wearing an elegant emerald green pantsuit. Who can forget the way she walked the first runway (which was sponsored by Hello Glow) with such poise and ease wearing a daring Barbie pink gown? She totally aced that first runway which is why she was one of the top 10 finalists. And again, she stood out with her polished walk wearing a blush svelte gown during the Pina Runway Showcase challenge earning her rave reviews both from local and foreign pageant aficionados! 

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Her official headshot photo went viral and was a favourite amongst pageant fans and polls. Her bathing suit official photos were also popular and she showed boldness by posing in a cutout one piece white swimsuit without heels — talk about confidence and fierceness! Winwyn also stood out in her flowing red Ryan Ablaza Uson ball gown for her official evening gown portrait earning her top spots in all pageant poll surveys! During the Aqua Boracay event, the Winwyn Wave walk went trending overnight! That upward thrust motion walk was all over the internet and certainly reminded everyone that Winwyn is THE total performer. When it comes to runway performance, Winwyn is a sure winner! She does her walk with such sophistication, grace and elegance. 

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Winwyn is also a real professional when it comes to doing commercial shoots for products by various sponsors such as Pina Beauty, Wendy’s Philippines, Wuling, and Jell Life to mention a few. The camera just absolutely loves her! She’s a natural! It’s really not surprising considering she comes from a family of beauty queens. Her aunt (her father’s sister), Mimilanie Laurel Marquez is Miss International 1979, her first cousin, Michelle Marquez Dee is Miss Philippines Universe 2023 and a top ten finalist for the Miss Universe 2023. Her mother, Alma Moreno is a veteran actress and is one of Philippine cinema’s beautiful faces. 

Winwyn is an achiever herself! In 2015, she first dipped her toe in the world of pageantry through Binibining Pilipinas, where she was amongst the 15 finalists and also won the Miss Talent, She’s So JAG awards and the Best National Costume. Two years later, she joined Miss World Philippines 2017 where she was eventually crowned Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2017. She represented the Philippines at the Reina Hispanoamericana 2017 pageant held in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. She is the first-ever representative of the Philippines and the only Asian candidate in the pageant. At the coronation event, she was crowned the winner and also took home the Miss Ipanema award.

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Fast forward to the year 2025, when asked why she’s joining this year’s Miss Universe Philippines, Winwyn confidently answered, “I do not want to live with the question of ‘what if?’ I don’t want to have any regrets in my life. And I hope people can see that. I hope people can do that as well, and apply that to their lives. Never give up on your dream. It’s never too late to take a chance on yourself, that if you feel in your heart that you want to do something, you do it.” Further, Winwyn added, “dreams have no expiration date. We, mothers/women, we are meant to be seen, and we are meant to be celebrated.” Winwyn at 32 is one of the oldest candidates in this year’s pageant. And she’s also a mom to adorable three-year-old Luna Teresita Rayy. 

Yes, you heard it right: Winwyn is a mom, a partner to her first love, her fiancé, Rayn (her fiancé happens to be her brother’s childhood friend), and she’s past the normal age for beauty contests. These three factors ultimately make Winwyn Marquez as pageantry’s game changer — she is determined to be the first mother to win Miss Universe Philippines and of course, the first mother to clinch the Miss Universe crown. Just like in her previous pageant, where she made history as the first Asian and first Filipina to win in a Latina-dominated competition, she’s once again poised to break barriers and redefine standards in the Miss Universe stage.

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Winwyn is someone who embodies the modern Miss Universe Philippines: an empowering, emboldened woman who goes after her dream even when the odds are totally against her. Perhaps, this is the real reason why Winwyn is a crowd favourite: the Filipinos, in general, love an underdog. Filipinos love to support someone who’s a fighter. The Filipinos always root for someone who fights against all odds. Like her, I think we could all relate to her impossible goal: that it’s never too late for all of us to conquer our fears and go full throttle to make our dreams turn into reality even if we’re faced against the odds. It’s truly a “Winwyn” situation, universe! 

Winwyn is in it for the win not just for herself but for the whole 116.78 million Filipinos. Winwyn is the whole package, she’s the real deal: she’s Gandang Morena like Gloria Diaz, she has the poise and elegance of Margie Moran (like Ms. Moran, Winwyn is a graceful dancer too), Winwyn has the same chiseled beauty, big brown eyes, natural full lips (not lip fillers), and high cheekbones structures as Pia Wurtzbach (Pia also slayed and bested another Latina, Miss Colombia in 2015), and above all, Winwyn has the intelligence, presence and charisma of a Catriona Gray! 

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Anyone can be beautiful, tall, curvaceous with a 19-inch waist, smart, and elegant. But not everyone has that X factor. That uniqueness. That certain “je ne sais quoi”! That queenly presence that makes the audience drop their jaws when they see her enter a room or walk the runway. That’s what we call the: WINWYN EFFECT! Winwyn Marquez has that effect on everyone because her real beauty radiates from within. Her beauty is all down to her: KINDNESS & HUMILITY. Winwyn truly has a kind heart and above all, natural humility. That’s why she stands out from the crowd. Her humility and kindness are what makes her universally beautiful. 

Since 2015, Winwyn has been supporting charitable causes that are close to her heart; she is an advocate for women empowering women with first and foremost — championing women’s health — not just reproductive health, but mental and holistic wellbeing too. Winwyn is also a huge advocate for promoting Philippine culture, history and tourism. Also, she is known to be supportive and generous to the other candidates in every pageant she is in.

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

If there’s one trait of Winwyn that stands out for me, it is this: she’s super hardworking! She was really sick the past three weeks and she was even hospitalized due to exhaustion and fatigue; yet, she soldiered on. She still performed her obligations and duties just like a true professional that she is. Winwyn is so naturally hard working because she’s used to working long hours and sometimes with no days off as she juggled various roles in life: a mother, a partner, an official military reservist, an actress, a professional model, a brand ambassador, and an influencer with over 1 million followers on Instagram. Thus, Winwyn will be a truly hardworking Miss Universe promoting women empowerment in all aspects. She takes everything to heart. You know that even if she’s sick, she will still fulfill her obligations — it’s been proven throughout this journey in Miss Philippines Universe. 

Photo courtesy of Winwyn Marquez

Just a final observation on the past Miss Universe winners: they all stood out from the rest that’s why they won. And Winwyn has that same presence; she stands out from the rest of the candidates because of the way she carries herself and the way she outperforms everyone. Winwyn’s personality truly stands out! Her winning aura is precisely what Miss Universe Philippines need to clinch that 5th Miss Universe crown. 

Winwyn Marquez is the epitome of what a modern Miss Universe represents: an inclusive role model which all women of status and of colour would aspire to be. Winwyn has proven that it is possible for a Miss Universe to be whoever they want to be and still aspire to be better in life. Winwyn has proven that in life, nothing is impossible as a woman. Above all, she is a living testimony that dreams have no expiration date. Winwyn is a living testimony that we can make our dreams come true against all odds — as a mother, as an older woman — she is determined, she’s persevering, and she continues to give her best performances against all odds. Winwyn is a living testament that there’s no limit to being a woman. She is the Miss Universe of this modern century. She is pageantry’s Game Changer. Let’s “Wyn” the universe together, Filipinas!